The case study has been published in the book International Cases in Sustainable Travel & Tourism and can be purchased from Goodfellow Publishers. To receive an exclusive 10% discount on the book enter the code BESTENGP at checkout when buying directly from the Goodfellow Publishers website. Following the link you can access the free of charge Powerpoint presentation on Accor.

Synopsis and Learning Outcomes

Accor, one of the leading global hotel operators represented in 90 countries all over the world, is a corporate leader on tourism sustainability. While the responsible operations of Accor cover a wide range of aspects, the purpose of this case study is to focus on the issue of protecting children from trafficking and sexual exploitation within the overall sustainability strategy of Accor. The company has a long history of engaging on child protection, being the first global corporation to formally join a voluntary Code of Conduct in 2002 and operating consistently at the forefront of the advocacy agenda on social responsibility in tourism.

The objective of the case study is to document Accor’s work on child protection over the last decade, explaining the corporate philosophy behind it and its theoretical fundaments and presenting the practices implemented into the company’s operations. This is done by highlighting a variety of instruments and measures that Accor has put in practice and the impacts they have had in strengthening the corporate brand and partnerships with a variety of stakeholders.

The main finding of the case study is that despite addressing one of the most challenging and highly sensitive topics within the tourism sustainability agenda, Accor has successfully identified appropriate internal and external communication procedures and expertise sources, allowing the company to become a pioneer, then a leading voice championing the protection of children’s rights as an integral component of the contemporary tourism sustainability agenda.

The case study draws from stakeholder theory and modern strategic social responsibility research, showing how Accor’s work with a wide range of stakeholders has allowed the company to innovate within a sustainable tourism niche that is less often addressed by large companies.

Upon completing the case study, learners will achieve an understanding of the challenges related to issues of child protection in tourism, and be able to explain:

1. the risks that trafficking and sexual exploitation of children pose to a tourism company;
2. the factors that should be taken into account when creating a company-wide strategy to prevent sexual exploitation and trafficking; and
3. how a company can engage with a sensitive and potentially negative phenomenon in a way that will positively contribute to building its corporate sustainability brand.